Dreams Are Meant to be Broken
by Iremat
Summary: Temari’s life suddenly takes an unexpected turn. From the Number One Kunoichi to… a Grade School Teacher at the Sunagakure Academy. Find out what happened and how she’ll deal with it!
1. ForewordDisclaimer

Foreword for "Dreams Are Meant to be Broken" (And Wounds Are Meant to be Healed)

I haven't updated in a long while. The Little Avenger storyline has gone silent for a little while. I need to get inspired again. However, I have been writing Temari-centric fanfictions and this is one of them. Again, I don't own any Naruto, bla bla bla so on and so forth. This, is unlike a LOT of stuff that I have written is not about love :P


	2. Winds of Changes

Soft lights buzzed underneath the low, uneven ceiling. Temari tore one eye opened and covered half of her face with the other. She recognized this ceiling. She was in the hospital.  
  
The bed was soft, and comforting, although cold. She formed a seal with her hands and turned on her "air conditioner/heater" jutsu, that the Sand dwellers used to keep themselves from being frozen to death at night and fried alive during the day. Her eyes followed the uneven meeting line between the wall and the roof until they stopped at the round clock, hanging on the wall.  
  
It was four am. She tried to hoist herself up, not remembering exactly what happened. So far so good, none of the bones in her body ached. She gained an upright sitting position and stopped to catch her breath. The room was silent only interrupted by regular beeping of her heart monitor and soft buzzing sounds of the fluorescent light bulbs.  
  
She was alone. It was eerie and calming at the same time, in a demented, weird sort of a way. Temari sighed and began moving again, after getting some rest. Once her torso began turning, she remembered WHY she was in this bed. Geez. Her side felt like it was set on fire. Temari groaned and pried the side of her gown open to see how bad was it.  
  
Then groaned the second time and tied it closed. She didn't want to see that again, even if she had to. Carefully, she pushed herself off the bed and began making her way to the door. Halfway she stopped, held by a wire attached to her arm. She took off the small suction cup, adhering to her skin and continued moving towards her goal.  
  
The door silently opened, however, before she had a chance to even reach for it. Gaara stuck his head into the room, his eyes enlarging with surprise as he bumped nose to nose with his sister, who was suppose to be sleeping.  
  
"...."  
  
"I got tired of sleeping."  
  
She understood his questioning gaze.  
  
"You're still not well, you know."  
  
He said.  
  
"Yeah. I Know. But I'm tired of lying down...I want to go for a walk or something. Where's Kankuro?"  
  
"Home. Sleeping."  
  
Brother and sister looked at each other for a few moments.  
  
"Good. He needs some rest."  
  
Temari agreed in a tired voice.  
  
"And you? Are you tired?"  
  
Gaara shook his head.  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Come, take a walk with me? We don't have to go far, just around the hallway and back. Please?"  
  
"You really should give your wound little more time to heal."  
  
"Bah."  
  
Temari waved her hand.  
  
"It's got plenty of time to heal later."


	3. Broken

The hallway was also silent. It was wee hours into the morning, and only few nurses were making their hourly rounds, checking on the patients' well being. Temari walked slowly, supported by her brother from one side, his arm around her waist, holding her firmly, offering her extra sense of security just in case she needed it.  
  
"So...how long was I asleep?"  
  
Gaara glanced at her face, and suddenly realized that his big sister ...looked... years beyond her age.  
  
"Three days."  
  
He stated.  
  
"Three days and seventeen hours if you count today..."  
  
She gave a meaningful look to her bandaged up side.  
  
"How bad was it?"  
  
"Pretty bad."  
  
He was blunt.  
"Anything I should know about?"  
  
He looked her in the eyes and chewed on his lip.  
  
"I...I don't.."  
  
She smiled.  
  
"You make a terrible liar. Tell me the truth."  
  
Gaara could see glints of tears in her eyes. She was such a brave girl. He suddenly felt something sting him. He has never felt this before...   
  
"Well...the doctor said you'll recover..."  
  
"But...?"  
  
"The chances of you being the way you were are slim. Pretty much non existent. Your life as a shinobi is over, Temari."  
  
She didn't cry. Even though for a moment he wished she did. She smiled and fell quiet. They continued on walking in complete silence, him wondering if she's going to start screaming from the emotional torment, and her simply struggling to breathe. Gaara knew what being a shinobi meant to his sister. He knew how much pride she took in it. It was her life. Striving to be the best, being the part of Sunagakure Number ONE chuunin team was her life. That was her energy. It was her essence.  
  
"Temari.."  
  
"Hm?"  
  
She looked at him, and he saw the glimpse of emotional torment in her eyes. But that was only a moment's vision.  
  
"Are... are you okay?"  
  
She smiled.  
  
"Come on now. Don't treat me like I'm disabled. I'm fine. Just let me heal and I'll be as good as ever."  
  
He smiled.  
  
"Right."  
  
He didn't see the tears she spilt on the white hospital pillow, and the crimson stains left on the blanket from her torn and tormented lips. He wasn't there, when she couldn't stop shaking from the silent rage of hurt and anger. And when she couldn't stop crying there was no one to comfort her. She was alone. And she wouldn't have it any other way.


	4. Wishing to Heal

Temari blew a strand of blond hair out of her face, and moved the kettle from the stove to the table, to let it cool off. She gave sky a quick glance, only to confirm her suspicions. Fall Desert Storms were going to arrive early this year. She sighed for the second time and picked up her chopsticks to taste the curry for salt and pepper. She was waiting for her brothers to return home, worried with the weather conditions, getting worse by the moment.  
  
Today was exactly a year since that fight, and that wound. But she decided not to dwell on it. She wasn't completely disabled or horribly disfigured. She wasn't dead. She still had time to live and spend with her brothers, making decent money as an Academy teacher of Suna. Sure. She was never going to be a Jounin, and the Number One Suna team was already balanced out by a new girl, but it didn't make her upset.  
  
She wanted them to stay safe, rather than loyal to old, pointless memories. She bit her lip again, reminding herself about the promise not to spill a single tear over this. So what if her dreams were shattered to dust, and one of the most promising young ninjas was reduced to a calm life of an academy teacher? She missed the violent days, sleepless nights, the excitement, the danger. The pain, the power, the love, hate – full range of emotions, she missed every single bit of them. She missed this intensity, the insanity, the excitement... but she would be damned if she'd let any of that inner torment show.  
  
Temari knew how much both of her brothers loved her. Even Gaara. Especially Gaara. After that fight with Naruto at the chuunin exams his whole point of view towards the world has changed. The feared and hated Sand Ninja suddenly understood what it meant to be a family. He began to succumb to the warmth of his sister's embraces, and the exciting jolt of encouragement of his brother's words. She knew how precious this little happiness was to him, how important it was that their family would STILL be a family despite all the mishaps, and storms, and wars outside. They will STILL be strong, living, loving and learning off each other. It was never too late to learn how to feel loved and appreciated. It was never too late to be welcomed with opened arms.  
  
What she didn't know, however, was how much Gaara admired her. Despite her blunt and egotistical attitude, she always dismissed the thought of him adoring her. She didn't know that it was her strength that drove him to be better. And he didn't know that it was his wisdom that gave her the strength. They never sat down to think about how much they really meant to each other, but... it wasn't really needed.  
  
They'd figured it out on their own.


End file.
